Promise Me
by writeallnight
Summary: "This is a bad plan. And you know it." When a terrorist cell gets the better of the team Kensi's life is put on the line. She promised Deeks she'd be safe. And he promised he would get her back.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I'm back! It's summer! I have nothing to do but work and write! Yay! I promised you more Densi goodness and I plan to deliver.

This story takes place shortly-ish after "Humbug". At this point in the game we are under the assumption that while everyone "knows" about Densi they don't really "know" about Densi. That happy time when everyone else was pretending that they didn't have a clue and I didn't have to worry that the writers were going to make things weird or have Hetty split them up. Such is the burden of having an OTP. When they are not together you have to worry that they will never fall in love. Once they are in love you have to worry that the writers are going to screw up everything. It's a curse we all must bear. Anyway, read on fellow Densi lovers! Enjoy!

* * *

"Okay," Callen sighed. "Let's go over it again."

The rest of the team groaned.

"We've been over it a hundred times," Deeks griped from where he reclined in his chair.

"Yeah, and I haven't heard any of you offering up a brilliant solution," Callen shot back.

They were exhausted. They'd been exhausted for weeks. The case had been dragging for nearly a month with roadblocks every step of the way.

A tip had come in from an anonymous source to the LAPD about a possible attack on Los Angeles. It had become and NCIS case when a female Navy sailor turned up dead. Further investigation had revealed she had been selling information on U.S. weapons technology to the highest bidder: a terrorist cell based out of Ethiopia.

"I still think Stella is our best bet," Kensi said.

Sam was already shaking his head. "That girl is terrified. No way she can go back into that viper's nest."

Stella was a witness they'd discovered six days in at a particularly boisterous club in downtown L.A.; a favorite party spot for senior members of the cell. She'd spent a significant amount of time with them, both inside and outside the club, becoming something of a favorite toy for them.

The team had pulled her in off the street, beaten and terrified. She'd given them some information, but not enough. She claimed the cell killed girls for no other reason than they'd outlived their usefulness and refused to say any more.

Callen paced between their desks. "What we need is a new Stella. Someone who can earn their trust quickly and find out what they know."

"Agent Blye," Hetty stepped into the conversation. "Are you feeling up to the challenge?"

"Wait a minute," Deeks sat up. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Deeks, we don't really have a choice here," Callen said. "We need this break."

"We are not sending her in there," Deeks protested.

"Deeks," Kensi said quietly.

"No, this is too much. It's too dangerous," Deeks insisted.

"This is not a request, Detective," Granger said as he joined them. "Agent Blye will go undercover in the club. Sam will pose as club patron and you will be a bar tender. Callen will provide outside surveillance. Am I clear?"

"Crystal," Deeks said tightly, rising from his desk and leaving the room.

"You have one hour Mr. Deeks!" Hetty called after him. "Agent Blye, I have a lovely selection of dresses for you. Give me fifteen minutes to get them ready."

Hetty wandered off and Callen made eye contact with the female agent. "You sure you're okay with this Kens?"

She smiled. "It's nothing I can't handle."

"What about Deeks?" Sam asked.

"I'll take care of Deeks," Kensi told him. "It won't be a problem."

* * *

Deeks stalked to the burn room and closed the door behind him. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He and Hetty were having enough issues as it was. If he went flying off the handle in front of her again he risked getting tossed off the case and there was no way he was letting that happen.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. His stomach turned at the thought of Kensi in the hands of those men. They were cruel, ruthless. They'd beaten a Navy sailor and countless other girls to a bloody pulp and never given it a second thought.

The door opened and Nell entered. "Oh!" she said. "Sorry. Are you okay?"

Deeks straightened and relaxed the fists he'd made with his hands. "Yeah, just taking a break in my favorite place."

Nell raised her eyebrows. "Okay. Hetty sent me to find you. She wants to do a briefing in Ops."

Deeks nodded and followed her out of the room. He would just have to make sure nothing happened.

Eric was talking as they both slipped into Ops. Kensi glanced at him but said nothing as Eric continued his spiel. "Kensi will be here. Deeks will be stationed behind the bar. Sam will be by the back exit and Callen will cover the front from the outside."

"It's very important that we don't spook them," Nell continued. "Don't make eye contact or create any unnecessary interactions. All of their focus should be on Kensi."

Eric held up an earwig. "All of you will have earwigs and Kensi you'll be wearing a body mic with a back-up hidden in this," he displayed an intricately designed necklace. "Hetty's choice."

Kensi took it from him. "Sounds like a plan."

"We roll out in half an hour," Nell told them. "Be careful. We'll see you on the other side."

* * *

Sam and Callen kept up a steady banter as they changed into their clothes for the evening. Deeks listened silently as they talked, buttoning his vest and straightening the bow tie Hetty had provided, standard attire for the club staff.

He glanced at the two senior agents who were heavily involved in a conversation about whether or not the Dodgers were any good this season. Deeks kept his eyes on them as he backed out of the room and slipped quietly into Kensi's changing room.

She was pulling on a very short, very sequined black dress and didn't seem surprised by his presence. "Hey," she said softly, pulling the dress over her shoulders. "Are you okay?"

"I don't like this Kens," he told her. "Something doesn't feel right."

"Help me?" she turned, offering him her exposed back. "It's just a day at the office Deeks."

He pulled the zipper up slowly, letting his hands linger on her back. He lowered his head and whispered in her ear. "You don't have to do this," his voice was low, his breath warm on her neck. "We can find another way."

Kensi closed her eyes briefly, allowing herself to feel his closeness, his hand on her spine, his lips by her ear, things she already cherished about their short relationship. "Deeks, there is no other way. We've been at this for weeks," she turned to face him. "We're running out of time." She put a hand on his cheek. "I'll be fine."

"Promise?" he asked.

"I don't need to," she told him. "You'll be there."

"Kens I'm serious. Promise me that you'll be careful."

"Deeks, I promise," she laughed. "Now kiss me and get out of here before Sam and Callen notice you're gone."

He obliged, leaning forward and pressing his lips to hers.

"You know, I'm really starting to get used to that," she told him when they broke apart.

He grinned and kissed her again, his hand finding the small of her back, pulling her firmly against his body.

"Okay, okay!" she pushed him away, a smile on her lips. "Go!"

He slipped out of the room and made his way back to his desk. Callen and Sam joined him shortly thereafter.

"You got your bar-tending skills up to snuff for tonight?" Sam asked.

"I make a mean mudslide," Deeks told him.

Callen and Sam exchanged glances. "What the heck is a mudslide?" Callen asked.

Kensi chose that moment to enter the room, distracting all of them. She'd added strappy, six inch heels and Hetty's necklace to her dress and Deeks felt the air leave his lungs at the sight of her all done up. She was stunning.

"Whoo!" Sam whistled appreciatively. "Kensi Blye in the house!"

"Those criminal warlords will be falling all over themselves," Callen told her.

"Just what every girl dreams of," Kensi rolled her eyes.

"You are carrying right?" Deeks asked.

"Yes Deeks, just like always," Kensi glared at him.

"Okay then. Places everyone," Callen ordered. "Deeks, a word."

Callen waited until Sam and Kensi had walked past before speaking. "You got your head on straight?" he asked.

"This is a bad plan," Deeks told him flatly. "And you know it."

"We've had worse," Callen told him. "Look, if you can't handle it we can do it without you."

Deeks was already shaking his head. "You're not doing this without me."

"And you're not doing this if you can't think clearly. You'll put the whole team in danger and I can't have that."

"I'm not the one putting us in danger." Deeks glared at him.

Callen pointed a finger at him. "I am the senior agent on this team. We are doing this. Kensi can handle herself. Whether you like it or not."

"If this goes south I'm holding you responsible."

"I'll take the risk."

"Fine."

"Fine."

* * *

A/N: So...? What do you think? I promise it's going to get good. This is just the tip of the iceberg folks! Leave your reviews for me to enjoy!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you all for the lovely reviews! Things are about to go south real fast here so enjoy!

* * *

Deeks slipped behind the bar upon their arrival while Sam took a seat at a far corner table. "In position," Deeks said as he reached for a glass.

"Good. I'll send Kensi in as soon as they arrive," Callen responded.

"And now we wait," Sam said as he settled back into his chair.

Deeks poured countless drinks while Sam fended off a number of interested women. Kensi and Callen kept up a steady banter out in the car that they could all hear through their earwigs. Their conversation did nothing to calm the knot of dread sitting in Deeks' stomach.

It was nine pm before anyone of interest showed up. Deeks was inserting a tiny umbrella in a cocktail when four men in suits entered the club. He recognized the leader of the cell, Eyasu Hassan, and his second in command, Abate Neguse, immediately. They both cut impressive figures as they crossed the room, turning more than a few heads.

Deeks turned his back to the room and spoke quietly into his earwig. "Eyasu and Abate just arrived with two body guards. They must have come in the back. Give them ten minutes to get settled and then come on in Kensi."

"Got it," she replied.

The man and his lieutenant got settled in the VIP section while their bodyguards took up residence by the front and back entrances.

"You're up Kensi," Sam said, eyeing the men from his position in the corner.

She stepped through the doors a moment later and nearly every eye in the room turned toward her. She sauntered slowly toward the bar, making sure to smile and make eyes contact with everyone she passed.

"I'll take a martini," she said when she reached Deeks.

"Coming right up," he told her.

He reached for the vodka and then glanced around before pouring water into the glass instead. Kensi was going to need all her wits about her.

"Here you go," he handed her the glass. "That was some entrance."

Kensi smiled and took a sip. "See something you like bartender?"

Deeks leaned forward. "Plenty," he told her.

"Anybody else taking a look?" she asked.

Deeks darted his eyes toward the VIP box. Both men were leaning forward, their eyes locked on Kensi. As he watched Eyasu turned and said something to his second in command. Abate nodded and rose, walking toward the bar.

"Bingo," Deeks said. "Abate coming in on your six. Time to turn on the charm."

Kensi batted her eyelashes at him. "It's never off."

Deeks had to turn away so Abate wouldn't see his grin. The man came right up next to Kensi.

"Bartender, two whiskeys," he turned to Kensi. "And another of whatever this gorgeous creature is having."

Kensi turned her attention to him. "Well that's not a compliment I hear every day."  
"The men in this town must be out of their minds," he told her. "You are gorgeous. A jewel among women."

"You certainly know how to turn a girl's head," she said coyly. "I'm Fern."

Deeks dropped the bottle he was holding. "Sorry, sorry," he apologized quickly.

"Fern, that's a lovely name for a lovely woman," Abate turned his attention back to the female agent. ""My name is Abate."

"How exotic," Kensi told him as Deeks put their glasses on the bar. "Thank you for the drink."

"It is my pleasure," Abate told her. "I have a friend in the VIP section. He would like to meet you."

"Well if he's half as charming as you are it would be my pleasure," Kensi replied.

He helped her down from her seat and she followed him without so much as a backward glance at her partner.

Kensi spent three hours in the VIP box drinking and laughing with the leaders of the cell. Deeks felt the knot in his stomach grow larger with every passing moment. The way they looked at her, put a hand on her knee, on her arm, it made him sick. Those men had killed thousands and the thought of them being with his partner made his skin crawl.

He continued to supply them with drinks as the hour grew late. Kensi's glass was always filled only with water, although she was certainly acting tipsy.

Deeks watched as Eyasu whispered in her ear. She nodded and then whispered something in return before rising and heading, somewhat unsteadily, toward the bathroom.

Deeks slipped out from behind the bar and followed her, turning off his earwig as he went. Looking both ways he opened the door to the ladies' room and stepped inside. "Having fun, Fern?" he asked.

Kensi was standing at the sink waiting for him, her arms crossed. "Those man are disgusting," she told him, a shudder running over her frame.

"I know. You good?" he asked worriedly.

She took a deep breath. "Yeah I'm good. They want me to go with them."

"Kens…are you sure?" he asked for the final time.

"Oh my god, yes I'm sure!" she told him. "You sound like a broken record tonight. What's with you?"

"I just can't shake this feeling that something isn't right," he told her.

"I will be fine," she promised.

He brushed a strand of hair from her face and mustered a smile. "I know."

"God, I can't wait to get out of these shoes," she leaned against him and adjusted the strap on her right heel.

"Just a couple more hours," he promised.

"Next time, you have to be the pretty face," she told him. "Kiss me."

Deeks did, feeling nearly physical pain when he had to pull away. He caressed her cheek one final time before speaking. "I'll go first." He turned his earwig back on and stepped out the door coming face to face with the barrel of a gun.  
"Whoa hey!" he cried. "Whatever you want I don't have it, pal!"

"Oh, I think you do," a thick Ethiopian accent told him.

Deeks felt a twinge of worry. "Look, I'm just a bartender okay? If you've got a problem with the tab or something I can get the manager."

"That will not be necessary Detective Deeks," the gun left his field of vision and he looked directly into Abate's eyes.

Deeks felt his heart stop. They knew. How the hell did they know?

"This way detective."

Deeks walked slowly out into the now empty club, Abate close behind. His eyes flicked to Sam's seat and found the man on his knees, his hands behind his head, fury in his eyes as one of the bodyguards leveled a gun at his skull.

"Callen," Deeks said into his earwig, desperately hoping for some backup.

"Agent Callen cannot help you right now," Eyasu told him, stepping away from the bar, a drink in hand. "I've sent some friends to keep him company."

"Let me go!"

Deeks turned to see his partner being pulled into the room by one of the bodyguards, who had apparently multiplied while he'd been away as there were now at least seven or eight of them guarding the doors.

"Ah, Agent Blye. So glad you could join us," Eyasu said as another bodyguard moved to help restrain her. "This is quite a team you have. Is this the best NCIS can do? Pathetic."

He walked toward her. "It's been such a pleasure to talk with you tonight. I think we will extend the pleasure a little longer." He turned to Deeks. "Come disarm your partner detective."

Deeks glared at him and refused to move. Eyasu sighed and nodded to one of his bodyguards who stepped forward and punched Deeks in the stomach. He doubled over, wheezing.

"Deeks!" Kensi cried, straining against her captors.

"Ah, so this one is the favorite then." Eyasu said as Deeks straightened. "Go disarm your partner Detective. Or I will do it for you. And I will not be gentle."

His eyes were made of steel, hard and cool. Deeks sucked in a breath and walked toward Kensi.

"Nice and slow Mr. Deeks. If you try to shoot, I will put a bullet in her head."

His voice chilled Deeks to the bone as he reached his partner. Kensi's eyes locked and he knelt in front of her, reaching up her dress to remove her gun from her thigh holster.

"Put it on the floor."

Deeks did so.

"Now, stand up and back away."

Deeks stood but didn't move.

"Follow my directions Detective or Agent Blye's face will not be so pretty for much longer."

Eyasu pressed a gun barrel against her temple.

Deeks backed up slowly, gritting his teeth as anger filled his bloodstream. Eyasu ran a hand over Kensi's cheek, a cold smile on his face.

Another bodyguard approached, a pitcher of water in his hand. He dumped it over Kensi's head, soaking her instantly. She gasped and sputtered as water dripped down her dress.

"Just in case you had any listening devices on you," Eyasu told her. "Say goodbye to your partner Detective. You won't be seeing her again."

"No!" Deeks lunged toward him, but two bodyguards grabbed him and held him back. "Kensi!"

"Take care of him," Eyasu said. "Let's go Agent."

Deeks watched in horror as they dragged Kensi toward the back door. "Deeks!"

"Kensi!" It was all he got out before a blow to his jaw had him on his knees, spitting blood. A second had him on the ground. He cringed as feet kicked at his ribs and then, suddenly, knew nothing.

* * *

A/N: What?! What's going to happen? Where are they taking Kensi? Will Deeks be all right? I guess you'll have to just wait and see... :) Leave your love in the reviews please!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: You asked for it and here it is! I cannot say thank you enough for all the sweet reviews and encouragement you have left me. I have had to deal with crazy camper parents this week and it just made my day to find all those lovely things you said! Enjoy!

* * *

"Deeks! Deeks! Wake up!"

Deeks opened his eyes slowly. Well, one eye and a half eyes anyway. The right eye throbbed and refused to cooperate fully. Sam knelt next to him, his face a mask of concern.

"Hey, hey don't move," he put a hand gently on Deeks' chest. "They went at you pretty hard. Help is on the way."

Deeks groaned and tried to push him away, which was when he realized the only thing he could feel besides his eye was his ribs; and they were on fire. "They've got Kensi!" he gasped.

"Sir, sir you need to lie still!" The paramedics had arrived and they began setting up shop next to him.

"I'm fine," Deeks growled as they attempted to hold him in place.

"Deeks, take it easy," Callen joined the frenzy of activity.

"Callen they knew, they knew everything," Deeks said frantically.

"I know. We're working on it," Callen told him.

"How did they know? They just…it was like they were waiting. Playing with us." Deeks cried out as one of the paramedics probed at his ribs.

"Deeks, we'll figure it out. You need to go to the hospital," Sam said.

"I'm good." He tried to sit up and hissed in pain.

"Deeks-" Callen started to protest but Deeks stopped him.

"Callen," his face was deadly serious. "They are going to kill her."

Callen sighed and then looked at the paramedics. "Do what you can to patch him up here."

"Sir, he really needs to be seen by a doctor. He could have internal bleeding," the paramedic told him.

"Yeah well, it'll just have to wait."

The paramedics reluctantly let Deeks go twenty minutes later. He joined Callen and Sam, wincing as he pulled his shirt on. His right eye continued to swell, his split lip stung, and his ribs were painful enough to make him want to curl into the fetal position, but he pushed it all away. His partner was in danger.

"What the hell happened?" he asked.

"They got the jump on me as soon as you went into the bathroom. Pulled out their weapons and told everybody to clear out," Sam told him.

"I was in the van. They must have had more guys waiting outside. One minute I was listening to you guys and the next they were hauling me out at gunpoint," Callen said.

"But how did they know?" Deeks asked. "They knew our names, where we'd be, what our play was. How?"

"Maybe Kensi said something that tipped them off," Callen suggested.

"You were listening the whole time. She didn't say anything and you know it," Deeks told him.

"This was well thought out," Sam said. "They had guys lying in wait, they doused Kensi so her mic and tracking device would short out. And they had cell jammers so nobody could call the cops until they were a block away."

"Okay," Callen appeared to be thinking. "Let's get back. We need some help on this one."

* * *

Kensi shivered in the cool night air as water continued to drip down her body. A hood had been placed over her head as soon as they'd gotten her outside and then she'd been shoved into the back of a vehicle, a man's vice-like grip on her arm for the entirety of the drive. The more she moved, the tighter he squeezed. She was going to have bruises.

They drove for a long time and Kensi kept silent, doing her best to listen for any sounds that would help her identify their location. There were cars at first and then nothing but the sound of their own vehicle.

After what seemed like hours the car finally stopped and they pulled her out. She tried to walk slowly, trying to focus on her surroundings, but they pulled her along, dragging her if she moved too slowly.

They moved inside and shoved her into a chair, pulling off the hood. Kensi squinted against the light, trying to get her bearings. Eyasu Hassan sat in another chair across from her. They were in some kind of warehouse, maybe a former factory, nothing to distinguish it from any of the other run-down facilities she'd seen in her time at NCIS.

Eyasu gazed at her like their current situation was the most normal thing in the world. "Welcome Agent Blye," he said calmly.

"Did you kill my team?" Kensi asked, trying to keep her voice even. She refused to let tears rise to the surface, refused to be intimidated. Her heart pounded with fear, but her face remained calm, passive.

"You will speak only when I tell you to," Eyasu told her. He rose from his chair. "I have some questions for you Agent."

"Did you kill my team?" Kensi asked again.

He slapped her. "The women in my country know to behave better than that. Mind your manners Agent."

Kensi tasted blood on her tongue and spat onto the floor, glaring at her captor.

"How did your agency find me?" Eyasu asked. "Do I have a rat in my organization?"

"You're the rat," Kensi shot back.

He grabbed her hair and pulled her head back sharply causing her to gasp. "That was very rude Agent," he hissed in her ear. "Answer my question please."

"Did you kill my team?" Kensi repeated through gritted teeth.

Eyasu sighed and shook his head. "You are very persistent Agent. A fighter."

He released her roughly, shoving her head forward. "We are going to have fun tonight."

Kensi took several deep breaths as he walked in front of her. "I did not kill your team," he told her. "Not all of them."

Kensi felt panic rise in her throat.

He began to pace. "Perhaps just one. To send a message to NCIS." He leaned in so close she could smell his breath, but she refused to recoil. "I don't like it when the government of the United States meddles in my affairs."

He straightened. "Let's play a little game. What if I killed Agent Callen hm? How would that make you feel?"

Kensi's hands became fists in spite of her resolve. If they had jumped Callen alone in the van….he wouldn't have stood a chance.

"Your leader, fearless and strong. What would you do without him? So easy to take care of by himself."

Kensi forced herself to relax. She would not give this man the satisfaction of getting under her skin.

"Or what about Agent Hanna? What will his family do if he is the one who is gone? His little girl, loving son, devoted wife? All alone now…"

Kensi felt her body begin to tremble with anger. He was playing with her, he had to be. They'd all been alive when she'd been taken. He couldn't possibly have killed them all. She refused to believe it.

"Or maybe," he stopped, his hands clasped behind his back, "maybe it was Detective Deeks. Maybe he is the one I left on the floor, the blood draining from his veins, his last memory: you being dragged away. He'll never know what happened to you because his body is already cold."

Kensi lunged out of the chair but two of his bodyguards pushed her back down.

"Ah yes. I though that one might hurt the most." Eyasu smiled down at her, his eyes like ice.

Abate came forward from wherever he had been hiding and whispered in Eyasu's ear.

"Thank you." Eyasu turned his attention back to Kensi. "I have something else to attend to. I'll leave you to ponder your team's fate. But mark my words Agent, when I return, I will not be so polite."

Two of his goons tied her legs to the chair and then cuffed her hands behind her back and left, closing the heavy, steel door behind them. She heard a bolt slide into place and felt her gut tighten. She was alone.

* * *

A/N: Uh oh. Looks like Kensi is in some serious trouble. And Deeks isn't exactly in tip top shape either. Stay tuned for upcoming Densi goodness and leave your reviews please!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hello lovelies! Chapter four is here for your enjoyment. I am in SERIOUS Densi withdrawal right now so hopefully this helps those of you who are going through the same thing! Enjoy!

* * *

"Tell me you've got something," Deeks demanded as they entered Ops. "How did they know?"

"Deeks, are you okay?" Nell asked worriedly.

"I'm fine," he brushed off her concern, focused only on the task of bringing his partner safely home. "Eric, what's going on?"

"We've been hacked," Eric told him.

"How?" Sam asked incredulously.

"It must have been an inside job," Nell answered. "Someone came into the building and activated a bug in our servers. They've heard every phone call and seen every e-mail we've sent in the last week and a half."

"It was hard to find," Eric explained. "They must have someone with serious skills for them to pull off something like this."

"How could someone have gotten in here without our knowledge?" Callen asked.

"That's what we've been trying to figure out," Eric told him, flicking an image up onto the display. "We've scanned all our security footage from the last month and so far…nothing."

"We need to speed up the process," Deeks said, his eyes scanning the screens, trying to take everything in. "We don't have time."

"Miss Jones and Mr. Beale are working as quickly as they can," Hetty assured him as she entered through the sliding doors. "Patience, Mr. Deeks."

"What about a location?" Deeks asked. "Footage of them after they left the club, anything?"

"All we have are their vehicles leaving the club and heading northwest. We're searching other cameras and we've got patrols out on the roads but again, nothing," Eric replied.

"There has to be something!" Deeks cried agitatedly, his hands flexing as if he wanted to hit someone. "We're missing something. They are not perfect. You need to look harder!"

"Deeks, calm down," Callen told him.

"Calm down?" Deeks yelled incredulously. "Callen they are going to _kill_ her if we don't do something soon. You saw what they did to Stella, what do you think they'll do to a government agent? Don't tell me to calm down!"

The overexertion of his tirade caused his ribs to protest and he winced, putting a hand to his side.

"Deeks-" Callen took a step forward to help him.

"Don't touch me!" Deeks shook his head. "Just don't. This is on you. I told you something wasn't right."

He turned and walked slowly out of the room. "He's not wrong," Sam said quietly.

"I know," Callen told him. He looked to Nell and Eric. "Keep working."

Deeks stalked out of Ops and found his way to the bathroom. Inside he tore off a paper towel and wet it, pressing the damp paper to the back of his neck. The coolness felt good but did nothing to assuage the storm raging inside.

He looked and felt like crap. His left eye had darkened to a deep purple and his lip was bleeding again. His jaw ached and it felt like his side had been impaled by a hot poker.

He felt sick. His mind raced; _it was happening again. She was gone again. He had failed her again._

Deeks threw the paper towel aggressively into the garbage can and then growled as pain spiked again in his ribs.

The door opened and Sam stepped inside.

"I'm fine," Deeks said shortly.

"You're not fine," Sam replied calmly, crossing his arms over his chest. "You should see a doctor."

"Kensi is out there alone, and we have nothing," Deeks told him. "We have nothing. And every minute we have nothing is another minute closer to losing her."

"We're going to find her," Sam assured him. "She's strong Deeks. She'll hang on. But if you fall apart it doesn't help anything."

Deeks ran a hand through his hair. "I need her back, Sam."

"I know. Eric and Nell are combing through security footage from the club and the streets trying to find their vehicles." He put a hand on Deeks' shoulder. "Come on. Let's go look through the footage from here."

* * *

Kensi grunted as she strained against the cuffs binding her to the chair. Her eyes roamed the room, desperately looking for some way to escape. Blood dripped from her chafed wrists but it didn't stop her from moving her hands this way and that in an attempt to free herself.

The walls were thick, concrete probably. The door looked like it was made of heavy steel. No windows, at least none without iron bars trapping her inside like the prisoner she was.

She felt a sob rise in her throat and stopped struggling. It was no use. Even if she managed to get free of the chair the only way out was through the door and there was no way she could take on Eyasu, Abate, and all of the guards by herself.

An image of Deeks, pale, bleeding, flitted across her mind and she felt tears well up in her eyes. The more she tried to shove it away the more it persisted and she had to bite her cheek to keep from giving in. Deeks was not dead. She had to believe it; needed to believe it if she was going to get out of here alive.

The door creaked open and Abate and Eyasu re-entered, followed by several more bodyguards. "Enjoying your stay agent?" Eyasu asked.

Kensi pressed her lips together and refused to answer.

"Do you know, Agent Blye, that my friend Abate here was going to be a doctor? He began his training but your country would not recognize his education. They refused to let him practice in the states, told him he would have to start over again. As if our country's education was not good enough. As if he was beneath them."

Kensi's eyes flicked to the second in command who was opening a bag. She felt her heart begin to race. Eyasu was done playing.

"We are going to try this again Agent. I'm not an unreasonable man. I will give you a second chance," he told her.

One of his goons undid her handcuffs.

"There, you see? Much more comfortable," Eyasu said. "Now Agent, back to those questions. How did your team find out about my plans?"

Kensi remained stone-faced.

He stepped toward her. "I have been more than fair Agent. I will ask you one more time. How did you discover my plans?"

Kensi refused to respond, staring straight ahead, ignoring him completely. Eyasu nodded and one of his men grabbed her left arm and twisted it behind her back. Kensi cried out in pain.

"How Agent?" Eyasu asked again.

Kensi gritted her teeth.

Her arm was pulled harder. "Tell me Agent!"

Kensi screamed as her shoulder was ripped from its socket. The henchman let it fall and Kensi saw stars. She gasped as Eyasu circled her chair.

"I warned you about being rude. We do not tolerate that kind of behavior in my country. How did you find out?"

Kensi's breathing was ragged and she tried to focus her attention on the matter at hand and not the agonizing pain in her shoulder. "Is that…the best…you've got?" she gasped.

"Agent, you are making this much more unpleasant than it needs to be," Eyasu told her. "Just tell me what I want to know and this will all be over."

"I'm not telling you anything," Kensi growled.

Eyasu sighed. "Then you leave me no choice."

Abate lifted a syringe from his case along with several vials of liquid. "Do you know what this is Agent?" he asked.

She didn't respond, but he continued anyway.

"The common term is Ketamine. Are you familiar with it? It will give you visions like you've never seen before. I hear the young people in your country use it for recreational purposes. We will have you feeling so good you may never want to come down. And when you are nice and comfortable you will tell us what we want to know."

Kensi's stomach clenched in fear and she attempted to move away as he approached.

"In this one," he held up a second vial, "is what you Americans would call a truth serum. Of course, we in the medical field know it as amobarbital. Very potent. Very useful for gathering information," he voice was soft as he filled the syringe. "If you are able to resist the ketamine, just one shot of this amobarbital will have you spilling your darkest secrets."

He reached for a third. "And in this one, potassium chloride. I'm sure you are well away of its use as the drug of choice for lethal injection. But hopefully we will have no need of that."

"You see Agent Blye? I do not make empty threats," Eyasu told her from where he sat. "You brought this upon yourself. Tell me what I want to know and we can avoid this unpleasantness."

"I will tell you _nothing_ ," Kensi grunted.

Abate picked up the ketamine. "Then it's time to take a little ride Agent Blye."

* * *

A/N: I feel the need to remind you all at this point (and tell those of you who have not read my work before) that I am in no way associated with the medical community. I teach small children how to do the motions to "Do Your Ears Hang Low" as my life's work so any and all medical knowledge has come to me via the internet. And as we all know WebMD can only take you so far. I'm doing my best here but also know that the writers of shows like this also take lots of liberties so just pretend I'm one of them and you're good. Or don't if you're pissed at the writers for dropping story lines that never go anywhere (WHAT'S IN THE FREAKIN' BOX?!). Anyway, hope you enjoyed and I look forward to reading all of your reviews!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Chapter 5 is here! We are really getting into the good stuff now! Enjoy!

* * *

It had been 15 hours. His partner had been missing for 15 hours. Deeks stared at the screen in front of him, combing through video footage for any signs of foul play in the office in the last two weeks. Nothing. Nothing stood out as suspicious.

He groaned and rubbed at his eyes. He felt defeated, exhausted, sick. His partner had been at the mercy of those barbarians for 15 hours and he was nowhere close to finding her.

"Any luck Mr. Deeks?" Hetty meandered toward him.

"There's nothing. I just don't get how someone could have gotten in here without us noticing. Nell and Eric have checked; no one tampered with these files. Nothing is missing, nothing has been changed."

"Perhaps you're looking for the wrong thing," Hetty suggested. "Not someone who doesn't belong. Someone who does."

Deeks stared at her. "There was a leak in the central air system last week," he said slowly. "We had plumbers in here for days."

He began to rewind the footage. "There. Right there."

Deeks took off up the stairs, ignoring his protesting ribs. "I've got something!" he held up his tablet as the doors to Ops slid open. "Put this up."

Nell took the tablet and threw the footage to the screen as Deeks began to explain. "Two weeks ago we had a leak in the burn room. We brought in our usual security cleared plumbers but…stop. Right there."

Nell paused it.

Deeks pointed at the two men on the screen. "Those guys are not them."

"He's right," Eric pulled up pictures of their usual plumbers. "Definitely not them."

"I'll make a call," Nell told them.

"Look at how they avoid the camera," Callen observed. "They never look up as they move through the room."

"They were pretending to check for other leaks but look at that," Deeks pointed again as one of the men pulled out a flash drive and inserted it swiftly into the nearest computer. "That's how they hacked our system."

"It's a little hard to tell with the hats on but I'm pretty sure those two were at the club," Sam observed.

"King Street Plumbing received our initial request," Nell told them. "But then they got another call an hour later to cancel. Eyasu's men must have hacked their system as well as ours."

"How did we miss this?" Eric asked incredulously.

"We can figure that out later," Sam replied. "Right now we need to focus on getting Kensi back."

"We know the how," Callen said as Hetty entered. "But we still don't know anything about their location or what their plans are."

"It seems we are going to have to go back to our original source," Hetty said.

"That girl is scared of her own shadow," Sam told her.

"We don't have a choice," Deeks stated. "They were here and we missed it. And now Kensi is gone. We don't have a choice."

All eyes turned to Hetty who nodded.

"Do what you have to do to get Ms. Blye home safely."

* * *

Kensi felt the needle enter her skin and steeled herself for what was coming. Chances were the dose of Ketamine in that syringe was far higher than any prescription would call for, and recreational use of the drug could cause some wicked side effects.

It took only a few minutes for Kensi to notice that it was becoming harder to breathe. At first it wasn't obvious because the pain in her now useless shoulder was so great, but suddenly she felt as if she'd run a marathon. Sweat began to bead on her forehead as she attempted to draw air into her lungs.

"How are you feeling Agent? Makes it a little hard to breathe yes? If you just answer our questions, I can make it stop," Eyasu whispered.

Kensi tried to focus on something, anything else as her muscles began to seize. Her chest ached and her heart felt like it might explode out of her chest.

"Kensi."

Her head snapped up at the sound of Deeks' voice. He was lying on the floor, blood pooling around his body. "Kensi, help me."

"Deeks!" she gasped.

"Kensi, please," he whispered again as blood trickled out of his mouth. His hand reached for her and Kensi watched in horror as his body dissolved into nothingness.

"Answer the question Agent!"

It didn't matter that her mind knew she had been drugged. The ketamine had a vice-like grip and it didn't allow her to see Abate's face as he questioned her. Instead it appeared to be the head of a monster, eyes bulging from their sockets, blood dripping down its sallow cheeks. The voice was distorted and, in spite of herself, Kensi felt a spiral of fear as it screamed at her.

She forced her eyes closed and tried to focus on breathing. It felt like she was drowning as she gasped. Someone hit her, this time in the stomach and she cried out in pain.

"Tell me what you know!"

Tears streamed down her cheeks as pain and fear began to overwhelm her. Deeks appeared again, blood pouring from a gaping wound in his chest. "Kensi," he cried.

"Deeks!" she tried to reach for him but fire burned in her should and two faceless figures pinned her to the chair. "Deeks!"

"You never loved me."

Jack appeared before her, his eyes menacing. "You weren't enough. You didn't help me."

"Jack," Kensi gasped. "Jack, I'm sorry."

"It's all your fault, everything is your fault."

"Jack, please!" she pleaded.

The hallucinations continued for what seemed like hours, Kensi growing weaker with every passing moment. Breathing was agonizing, as if an elephant sat on her chest.

Abate was screaming at her again and she cowered in fright. She was back in Afghanistan. She was a child, sitting on the stairs, listening to her parents fight. She was 16, alone, homeless, being yelled at for scrounging in dumpsters.

Gradually, slowly, the pressure in her chest began to lift and the visions became less extreme as she grew more aware of where she was.

Sweat dripped down her face and the pain in her shoulder had grown worse from all of the jerking around, trying to escape her drug induced visions. Her throat was raw from screaming and her eyes burned with tears.

"You are stronger than I had anticipated Agent. A formidable woman to be sure," Eyasu told her.

Kensi continued to wheeze and avoid eye contact.

"Would you like to say something Agent? Just tell me what you know and you can join your partner. I can make you die so quickly you will not even know it has happened. The pain will be gone."

Kensi stared straight ahead, refusing to even look at his face. He grabbed her chin and forced her to look into his eyes. "Make the right choice Agent."

"Screw you," she rasped.

He let her go. "You are doing this to yourself."

Through a haze Kensi saw Abate reached for the second syringe.

"You will talk this time," he told her.

"No," Kensi didn't even have the strength to pull away.

He plunged the needle into her neck and she cried out. "You will talk Agent. I will make sure of it."

* * *

"Stella, all we're asking is the location of their hideout. No one will ever know we talked to you," Sam told the anxious young woman who sat in front of them.

"They know everything!" she cried. "Do you see this?" she pointed to her fat lip and black eye. "This is what they did to me. For fun. If I snitch they'll kill me."

"We're not going to let that happen," Callen assured her. "We can have you on a plane tomorrow. New home. New identity. They'll never find you."

"They have eyes everywhere!" she yelled, jumping up from the chair. "You have no idea what kind of power they have. Politicians, lawyers, police, they're unstoppable."

"An agent's life is on the line here Stella," Sam said seriously. "You're the only one who can help her."

"Yeah well, so is mine. I didn't sign up for this. I was just looking for a good time."

"You have the chance to save lives here. Not just one, but hundreds, maybe thousands," Callen told her. "That's more opportunity than some people get in a lifetime."

She crossed her arms. "I'm not telling you anything."

Callen looked at his partner who shrugged.

"Deeks!" Sam called.

The door opened and Deeks stepped inside, handcuffs at the ready. "Stella Jameson you are under arrest for solicitation," he said. "Stand up and put your hands behind your back."

"What? Solicitation?" Stella cried as Deeks pulled her to her feet. "I'm not a hooker."

"Well it certainly looks like it from where I'm standing," Deeks' face was hard. "You have the right to remain-"

"I'm not a prostitute! You can't arrest me for something I didn't do!"

"You know if he takes you in now you're going to be in the tank all night. No one's going to wake up a judge for this," Callen told her.

"Or you can tell us what you know and I can make this go away," Deeks said. "Your choice."

"I can't…"

"You can!" Deeks yelled. "You are choosing to be selfish. My partner is out there, maybe dying, and soon a lot of other people will be too. That's on you. All those lives; mothers, fathers, children, all gone because you wouldn't help us. You decide: be the hero, or go to jail."

She glared at him and took a deep breath. "Okay."

* * *

A/N: So...? What do you think? Is Kensi going to be okay? Will Deeks find her in time? Only time will tell! Leave your love in the reviews please!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Here it is lovelies! The final chapter! I'm really pleased with how all of this turned out and I hope you feel the same. Enjoy!

* * *

"287 West Allen Street," Deeks said as they raced toward the warehouse. It had taken a lot of prodding but Stella had finally given up the place where Eyasu and Abate did their dirty work. "That's it."

He bolted from the car, tac gear already in place, Sam and Callen following close behind.

"LAPD is three minutes out," Callen told them quietly as they scoped out the building.

"Kensi may not have three minutes," Deeks said seriously.

Sam looked at Callen. "We could be outnumbered," he said. "We don't know what they've got in there."

"Guys." Deeks was using every ounce of self-control he had left not to run inside immediately, numbers be damned.

Callen shrugged. "It's never stopped us before."

"Guys!"

Callen nodded. "Let's do it."

They crept inside and the smell of chemicals assailed them. "They're making bombs," Sam whispered. "Fertilizer everywhere."

"Get down," Callen said urgently.

They ducked behind some crates as two men ambled by. "I got them," Sam mouthed and he slipped off into the darkness.

Callen and Deeks watched him go and then moved further into the warehouse, toward a door that was cracked; light spilling out. As they approached they could hear voices.

"I told you not to kill her!"

"She is having a bad reaction! Sometimes this happens. It's not my fault!"

"If she dies we will not get the information we need. Fix it!"

Deeks felt his heart lurch as he realized they were talking about his partner. Callen held up a fist and Deeks nodded. Sam crept back to join them and on Callen's mark they burst through door, guns blazing.

"NCIS! Drop your weapons!"

The two bodyguards in the room opened fire but the team had surprise on their side and it took only a few shots to bring the Ethiopians down. "On your knees! Get down!" Sam yelled as Abate and Eyasu held up their hands in surrender.

"Kensi!" Deeks slung his weapon behind his back and ran to where she sat, limply, in a chair. "Kensi!"

Callen joined him and they cut the bindings on her ankles and pulled her to the floor.

"She's barely breathing!" Deeks said frantically.

"We need paramedics now!" Callen yelled to Sam.

Deeks put a hand on her cheek. "Come on Kensi, please. You promised. You promised me. Come on. Wake up."

"Paramedics are here," Sam said. "Let them through Deeks."

Deeks allowed Sam to pull him to his feet as the paramedics went to work.

"She's tacchycardic," one said urgently. "Respirations are shallow."

"She's been drugged," the second observed as he flicked light into her pupils.

"With what?" Deeks asked.

The man shook his head. "Could be anything. It would help if we knew."

Kensi's body spasmed and she began to shake. "She's seizing!" paramedic one yelled as they both scrambled for equipment and medication.

Deeks looked toward Kensi's captors and crossed the room so quickly he wasn't even aware he had done it. He pulled Eyasu off the floor.

"Deeks!" he heard Sam call his name and ignored the older agent.

"You have ten seconds to tell me what you did to my partner before I make you wish you had never been born," he ground out.

"Deeks!"

Eyasu simply glared at him.

"What did you do to her?" Deeks yelled.

"Deeks!" Callen and Sam pulled him off the terrorist and Deeks struggled to break free of their grasp.

"She's dying!" he yelled.

"Deeks," Sam held up his hands, speaking quietly, trying to calm the detective, "We've got the vials they used. They'll analyze them at the hospital."

"I won't lose her," Deeks said, his eyes half crazed with worry.

"You won't," Sam assured him. "They're going to take her to the hospital. She's going to be all right." He exchanged a concerned look with Callen.

"Deeks, you need to go with her," Callen told him. "She needs you."

Deeks didn't respond, his focus still on the terrorists behind them.

"Deeks, we've got it here," Sam promised. "We'll take care of them. Go with Kensi."

"Okay, right, okay," he finally said. "Okay."

* * *

They arrived at the hospital and Kensi was pulled behind a curtain in the ER. Deeks followed and watched the flurry of activity that surrounded her. "Excuse me," he tried to get the attention of a passing nurse.

A beeping sound began to intensify and the activity around Kensi moved from urgent to frantic. "She's coding!" someone yelled.

"Hey! Hey! That's my partner! What's happening?" Deeks asked, trying to get closer.

"Detective, Detective you can't go over there!" a nurse stepped in front of him.

"That's my partner! I need…is she…?" The pain Deeks had been experiencing all day combined with the fatigue and worry about his partner was suddenly too much and he felt his knees begin to give out.

"Sir! Sir? Detective, are you all right?" the nurse reached for him. "I need a gurney!"

"Kensi," Deeks watched the doctors rip open her dress and press paddles to her chest, watched her body spasm and go limp on the table.

"Detective! Detective you need to be looked at. She's in good hands," the nurse told him. "She'll be all right. Come with me. She'll be fine."

His last glimpse was of Kensi's hand falling from the table and hanging, lifeless, in the air.

* * *

Deeks stirred as his phone buzzed. He blinked several times and groaned. His ribs throbbed and his back was cramped from sleeping in a chair. "Deeks," he said when he managed to gain hold of his cell.

"It's Callen. How are you?"

"Ribs are busted," Deeks winced as he shifted in the chair. "Official doctor's word. X-rays and everything."

"How's Kensi?"

Deeks looked over at his partner. Her cheek was swollen and bruised from being struck and her left arm was in a sling. "She's uh, she's hanging in there. They did surgery on her shoulder and I guess that went all right. But the drugs…they really doped her up so she's having a hard time shaking it off. She hasn't woken up yet."

Callen sighed. "Deeks, I'm sorry. If I had…this isn't how I thought things would go down."

"I know," Deeks said.

"Hang in there all right?"

"Yeah, will do."

Deeks hung up shifted to a more comfortable position in the chair. He checked his watch. Six hours. Kensi had been out of surgery for six hours with no change. She'd coded again on the table and they'd had to intubate her when her respiration dropped to almost nothing. She was pale and still, ghostlike, and it hurt him more than any of his wounds.

A nurse entered the room, the same one who had grabbed him for treatment earlier. "How are you Detective?" she asked as she checked Kensi's vitals.

"I'd be better if you told me she was going to wake up in the next ten minutes."

She sent him a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry Detective. She is stable though. Her vitals look good. She's doing as well as can be expected."

"Right," Deeks sighed and then grunted as pain shot through his side.

"Did you take your pain medication Detective?" she asked, her eyes saying she knew he hadn't.

"I want to be here when she wakes up," he said. "Ah." Pain spiked again and he grimaced.

"You have four broken ribs Detective. You should be on a morphine drip," the nurse chastised.

"I'm not letting her wake up alone," he reached for Kensi's hand. "I can't."

She sighed. "If you change your mind I'm just a call button away."

"Thanks."

It was another four hours before Kensi stirred. Deeks sat up quickly as Kensi blinked, her eyes looking around in panic as she choked on the tube in her throat. "Hey, hey!" Deeks was on his feet immediately, at her side, "It's okay. Nurse!"

Several members of the staff rushed into the room. "Agent Blye you need to relax. I want you to cough all right? As hard as you can okay?" one of them told her.

Kensi coughed and choked as they pulled the tube out. She gasped for air as Deeks pushed aside a nurse and reached for her hand. "Hey, it's okay, you're okay," he told her, his free hand stroking her hair.

"Take a drink, Agent," a nurse held up a cup with a straw.

Kensi took several sips, swallowing painfully.

"The discomfort should abate within the next few hours," the nurse told her. "The doctor will be in shortly. Call if you need anything."

"Thank you," Deeks told her, his eyes never leaving Kensi's face. "Hey."

"Hey," she rasped. She winced and swallowed again.

"Here," he held the straw to her lips and she took another sip.

She gazed up at his face and a tear slipped down her cheek. "You're alive."

"More than you," he told her. "You came awfully close to breaking your promise there for a minute."

She frowned and let go of his hand, her fingers brushing over the bruised flesh around his eye, the swelling on his jaw. "What happened?"

"You think this is bad, you should see the other guy," he teased.

Her frown deepened. "Tell me."

He sighed. "Eyasu's men had a lot of pent up aggression. I'm fine. Just a couple busted ribs. You and I can fly high on the pain medication together for a little bit." He took her hand back and stroked her forehead. "You scared me Kensalina. Took a couple years off my life."

"Mine too," she said. "What's my prognosis?"

"Shoulder should be fine with some physical therapy. No long-term effects from the drugs. Basically you're just milking the whole torture thing for sympathy."

Kensi looked down at the hand that was intertwined with hers. "They told me you were dead."

"No such luck," Deeks told her. "I'm too tough for a couple of African warlords."

"Sam and Callen?"

"At the boathouse with Abate and Eyasu. Everyone is fine Kens."

He sank down onto the bed and put his arm around her, ignoring the stabbing in his ribs. He needed to be near her. She rested her head against his chest. "You were right, it was a crap plan," she told him.

"It doesn't matter," Deeks replied. "You're fine. I'm fine. Although notice that all the people who came up with the plan are outside the hospital while the loyal followers are inside."

"I think they owe us."

"They definitely owe us," he stroked her arm.

"I'm going to miss that dress," she said softly.

"Me too," he told her. "We'll get you another one."

"It was a $12,000 designer dress that Hetty had tailor made for me in Paris."

"I will buy you any dress you want from Target."

She smiled. "I'm glad you're okay," she said softly.

"I'm glad you're okay too," he replied. "This was, um," his voice cracked with emotion and he cleared his throat, "this was a little too close."

She shifted so she could look at him. "Deeks."

"I just…the thought of losing you…after we've finally figured things out…"

She put a hand on his cheek.

"I couldn't do it Kens. If you…you are everything to me. Everything."

She kissed him. She did everything in her power to kiss away the pain so evident in his eyes, the fear and panic that still came with his every breath. "It's okay," she said, when they finally broke apart. "I'm here. I'm not leaving. I promise."

He exhaled and tried to regain control of his emotions. "Good. That's good."

"You're not leaving either, right?" she asked.

He pulled her a little closer. "Never. I promise."

* * *

A/N: Yay! That's the end! Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed. You all are the best! Leave your final thoughts please!


End file.
